1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a vehicle panel by laser-welding steel sheets together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a plurality of steel sheet materials are laser-welded into a one-piece assembly and used as press material for vehicle panels. This is because one-piece stamping decreases cost as compared with a case where independent sheets are stamped and then welded together. Also, the laser welding over an entire length of the abutment line of the abutted steel sheets can increase strength as compared with a case where sheets are joined by spot welding.
However, these laser-welded assemblies of steel sheets usually have saggings, which result from the shearing of the sheet materials, and dents, which are generated at the ends of the weld line. Thus, these welded assemblies are inferior to integral sheets in view quality, and application opportunities in a vehicle to which the welded assemblies are used have been limited to inner panels of the vehicle which are not seen from the outside.